Remnant of the Nameless
by Traveling the Endless Expanse
Summary: I have no name. I do not need one. I am a Titan, Guardian of the Last City. I have served far longer than most. My defense of the City has been absolute. But now, I am stranded, far from the home I love. That will not stop me from finding a way back.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey hey hey everyone! How's things? So. As you can see. I made a new story. The reason is two fold. I had this idea bouncing around in my head for a LONG time. And it will serve as a inspiration for Lost Stars and vice versa to help me crank out chapters faster, hopefully. Without further adieu, enjoy.**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

 _The following is a log on the Psychological profile of GUARDIAN, TITAN, [ARES] gathered from an interaction between a Hunter who had gone on a mission with [ARES] and GUARDIAN, HUNTER [CAIN-1], who is a close friend of [ARES]._

 _H(F): *timidly comes up to C1 who is leaning on railing of Tower and overlooking City* U-Um C-Cain? Can I talk to you?_

 _C1: *keeps looking forward and waves H(F) forward, she obeys nervously* Relax kid. I ain't gonna bite your head off...Reola right?_

 _H(F): *eyebrows arch in surprise* Ye-Yes Cain! I-I'm surprised you remembered me. Me having just Risen a few months ago and only having a few conversations and-*H(F) begins to ramble*_

 _C1: Oi. You're rambling. But of course I'd remember you. You're a Guardian. There are a finite number of us. Gotta remember everyone. So, *C1 leans back against rail and looks at H(F)* Whatcha need?_

 _H(F): Oh! Y-Yes. I'm sorry, I had a question about a Titan, Ares, and Cayde said to find you. I had a mission with him recently._

 _C1: *rubs sides of head plates* What did he do now?_

 _H(F): N-N-Nothing! Well, nothing wrong really, I was just curious on his behavior._

 _C1: *looks up and chuckles* Let me guess. Hive?_

 _H(F): Yes. How did you know?_

 _C1: I get asked about him every time a newbie goes on a mission with him. He only takes Hive missions if he has a say._

 _H(F): Why would he do that? He seemed so..so..._

 _C1: Angry? Hateful? Burning with unbridled rage? *H(F) nods and C1 chuckles* Re. He does hate them. More than any Guardian out there. Hell you think they'd learn by now to run when they hear heavy metal and gunshots._

 _H(F): Why?_

 _C1: He hates them, loathes them even, because of what they took from us, from him. They took everything from us in the Golden Age. And they took the love of his life from him, *C1 chuckles hollowly* because of my mistake. *C1 sighs*You gotta understand something about Ares, Reola. He has so much anger, so much hate inside of him, you could drown the Darkness in it._

* * *

The Traveler, a god from places unknown, found mankind in the twenty-second century.

It elevated them to heights unthought of.

Lifespans tripled.

Disease eliminated.

Colonies spanning the solar system and beyond.

It brought Light.

But for all Light, there is Darkness.

The Darkness found its mortal enemy not too long after that Golden Age.

It took EVERYTHING from us.

Colonies destroyed.

Hundreds of millions of lives lost.

It was not a war.

It was annihilation.

The Traveler gave us another chance with its dying breath.

The Ghosts, sent to find those who could wield the Light of the Traveler.

I am a Guardian.

I am born of the Traveler, the dead god that rests over the Last City.

I bear title many titles, Ares, the Crying God, Twinhammer, Fable and many more.

I am a Titan.

I am a Sunbreaker

I am a Striker.

I am a Defender

I am a warrior for the protection of the Light.

I am a weapon.

I am nameless.

My enemies fear me.

My comrades need me.

I am lost far from my people, with no way back.

But nothing will stop me from returning home.

* * *

Vanguard Tower, The Last City

A large, armored, blue-skinned and bald man with one tall red shoulder guard on his left arm read over the report given to him. His name was Zavala. The Titan Vanguard of the Guardians. He was an Awoken. He rubbed his temples. Once again the other boot dropped. They had defeated Crota only a few years ago. His father, Oryx, the Taken King had come to call in search of his son's killers.

He had found one.

Cain-1, the Nighthawk, a Hunter Gunslinger. Cayde's brother-by-bond. He had taken him during a mission to establish a beachhead on the ship. The Titan Commander sighed heavily, "Does he know?"

Ikora, his dark-skinned female companion with close cropped hair and garbed in violet Warlock robes befitting her position of Warlock Vanguard sighed. "Luckily, not yet," she said. She looked to Zavala with worry in her chocolate brown eyes. "You know we're going to have to tell him. The longer we wait to tell Cayde Cain's been captured...the worse the fallout will be."

Zavala nodded. "Yes and I plan to...but we both know he will likely try to go to get him back on his own. We need someone to attempt a rescue. But the amount of Guardians needed to breach the Dreadnought..." Zavala trailed off in thought before gaining an idea. His protegé, last he had heard at least, was near Jupiter, much closer than they were on Earth. The Commander stood tall and called to any who listened in the communications portion of the Vanguard room.

"Get Ares on the comms immediately."

The God of War was being summoned.

Callisto, Jupiter's moon

A large armored form flashed in the dark from gunfire. The dark glowed with eyes of the Hive. The Hive were a race turned to irredeemable evil through their pact with worm gods. They could have had the Sky, but they fell into the Deep. They bargained with the gods. That deal sealed the fate of the Hive as war worshipers. They were skeletal bi-peds, armored and vicious.

Thralls were the lowest tier of their sort. They had no eyes and used claws and teeth to rip and tear apart their prey. Cursed Thralls were blue headed and exploding versions of the Hive Thrall foot soldiers. Acolytes were the next step up and were the first with three visible eyes. Lightly armored and agile, acolytes waged medium to long fire support. Knights were just that. Wielding a sword and heavily armored in chitin, they were commanders. Wizards were above them. Robed and flying monstrosities, they launched volleys of dark Hive magic from afar.

The Thralls were currently doing battle.

If wholesale slaughter could be called that.

One poor Hive Cursed Thrall was grabbed by a large armored hand and promptly thrown into its brethren as it activated its explosive capabilities, killing over a dozen in the tight corridor.

There was a brief light as the end of the corridor was cleared. A lone light ray shone into the dark as a black armored boot stepped forward. A pair of flaming hammers blazed to life in the dark, held in black armored hands. Silver with one side bearing a beaked bird face and the other brutally spiked for tenderization, the glow reflected off the black tree shoulder guard and showed a merciless, pitch-colored medieval knightly-looking helm with two gouges across the left parallelogram-shaped eyehole. The Titan wore a plated chest piece decorated with metal embedded dual spread wings and a sun with a ring through it almost like a necklace painted on.

Thralls and Acolytes appeared at the cavern's edge, cloaking the rock hall in darkness from their density. A flaming projectile was lobbed at the murder of Hive and detonated.

Fire poured out of the hall, burning the Hive inside to nothing. A figure rushed through the flame and was in front of the remaining Hive in an instant, already swinging his fiery hammers in an overhead crash at a unlucky Acolyte. The hammers met no resistance as they burned a path through it. Once hitting the ground, the figure threw his right hammer straight out to the side. It crashed into the chest of a recently arrived Knight and it flew back from the force. The hammer exploded as the Knight arrived in a group of Hive.

A black palm caved in the chitin of an approaching Acolyte. The nameless Titan saw reinforcements arrive to the rear in the form of high-ranking Wizards and several Knights. The Titan said nothing as he formed another hammer and rushed towards them, carving a path through all Hive that stood in his way and leaving nothing but flames and embers in his wake.

Arriving at his targets, his foot planted on an Acolyte's head and crushed it. Pushing off its body, he threw one hammer after another forming a new one the moment one left his hands.

One Knight survived the barrage. The Titan flew towards it in the air and charged Solar Light into his remaining hammer. The Knight swung it's sword to block and the two weapons clashed.

The Knight never stood a chance. The hammer crashed through the sword and crushed its head, sending chitinous shards flying.

The Titan kept his hammer burning for another minute as he looked around to make sure he was alone. Once satisfied, he approached the reason he was here.

A shard of the Traveler stood suspended on a platform in the center of the gothic-themed chamber. Holding up his palm, a small shimmer of light appeared and a Ghost with a white with an orange stripe down the center of its shell came into existence. It set to work immediately, knowing talking to its Guardian on a mission about pointless chatter, in his eyes, was not wanted.

The Ghost transmatted the Shard aboard the ship and nodded to its Guardian who returned the gesture. Reaching up and undoing the fastening on his helmet, he removed it. Red, shaggy, neck-length hair spilled out as the helmet was lifted off. An amber left eye and an emerald right eye stared stoically at his Ghost. A trio of scars ran across the semi-pale, almost blue skin of his right eye diagonally towards his ear. "Good work Harmonia." The deep and gruff voice rumbled warmly. The Ghost named Harmonia seemed to preen at the praise.

"Oh, it was nothing," came the female voiced reply. Harmonia flew up in his face and began to get angry. "How many times do I have to tell you! You. Have. Guns! Use them! Especially with Cursed Thralls around. I'm not sure if you're aware but this is a _Dark Zone_ bonehead! If you were to die, I can't revive you because my Light is smothered in here!" She rammed herself into his head again and again to try and physically ingrain the lesson she had told him multiple times. "Hard Light would have been perfect in that little corridor you decided to have a grapple match with the Thrall in! Think! I know Titans are known for force before brains but I also know you are smarter than some Warlocks...please think before you act. I worry about you.." Harmonia's voice dipped low in worry and shyness. A large hand cupped her and brought her close. A smile met her eye.

"As you wish." Harmonia nodded in acceptance.

"I'll hold you to that Ares." She suddenly perked up. "Incoming urgent transmission from Zavala and Ikora. Patching them through now."

"Ares. Zavala speaking. Where are you?"

"Jupiter's moon Callisto, Commander," came the respectful reply. He asked not the reason for the call. It would be explained.

"Good. You're close to Saturn. We have a problem."

"Sir?"

"Cain's been captured." That single sentence sent off warning bells. Cain...was strong. For a Hunter that is. He was of the less squishy ones. He was...a close friend. One of the few Ares had. If he had been captured...

"How?"

"Oryx came for revenge."

"Oryx...The Taken King? Crota's father? That Oryx?" Ares asked. He had...done research on the Hive to put it lightly.

"The very same. He arrived and wiped out the Awoken fleet. We need you to go to the rescue. His Dreadnought resides in Saturn's rings. It cleared a circular area around it. You'll see it immediately."

"Already heading back to the ship." Ares said as he replaced his helm. "What do we know?"

Ikora's voice came over the comms of his helmet this time. "Cayde...sent him to establish a beachhead and patrol network on the dreadnought as an unofficial mission. He was deep in the Dreadnought when his comms cut out after he disabled the main weapon. We don't know if Alastor is still alive either. We're sending you due to the fact if we don't send someone soon Cayde will likely go alone. Zavala decided since you were closer you would be able to handle it with your strength. At least until backup arrives if needed."

"Noted. Anything else?"

"We have his last location. Nothing else that would help you. Good luck Ares. Bring him back safe." Zalava stated. Ares nodded to himself and the line dropped.

"Harmonia, set a course for Saturn. I'm raiding the Armory." The Ghost dipped its head as she transmatted them both into the blue, tripronged Awoken ship known as Ceres Galliot. He had received it as a gift from the Awoken Queen Mara Sov. Even though it was for services rendered, Harmonia had a feeling Mara Sov had a soft spot for her Guardian. Or Titans in general.

After all, there was that time with Shaxx...

With the shard put under Light signature hiding sealing and other preparations done, they set off for Saturn.

They found Cain's ship or rather what was left of it. It floated in the void of space aimlessly, broken in too many pieces to count. Ares, who had finished his raid and taken the helm, scowled. Gliding stealthily to the Dreadnought, Harmonia transmatted her Guardian to the sand covered floor.

Holding a suppressed sidearm forged under the Iron Banner, Ares scanned the immediate area. There were some Hive in the distance feasting it seemed. There were Cabal too. The big blue ship he saw was theirs. They engaged the Hive and Ares moved, thankful for the distraction.

Quickly leaving the room, he set a course for his friend's last known location.

He arrived at the area Cain was last seen and looked around, trying to find any marker of where Cain had gone. He was in an aqueduct seeming type of area. Moving forward he heard a repeated, thumping boom. Peering around a corner he saw a Hive contraption lift, turn, then drop in a resounding boom. That was the noise at least. He also saw a few Wizards, several Thralls and three Knights guarding a large, heavily secured door. Their shielding aura each held a different tint to it. He cursed. Ritual magic it seemed. If Ares was a betting man, he's wager Cain was beyond it. No matter, he had seen this magic before.

But first, he had to get to the door, and there happened to be some..."obstacles." Ares put his scout rifle to his shoulder. Black painted, it reflected no light as The Doctor treated its patients. The Thrall and Wizards were dealt with within one magazine's worth of bullets. The dozen Thrall fell with a single shot each. The Wizards took a bit more to take down but The Doctor treated all patients equally with extreme care. An Acolyte who had entered from the side scored a lucky shot. Its round grazed his side.

Hissing in pain, Ares dealt with the annoyance. He sighed in relief as he felt the effect of The Doctor's Loving Treatment. Through Hive rituals typically used to leech the life-force and Light of Guardians, Ares achieved the desired result with his own creation. After all, what better way to battle an enemy than with their own techniques?

The Knights were all that was left once The Doctor finished its Treatment.

They knew not the storm that came next.

Ares launched himself into the air and channeled Sol into his fists. As he landed, the pent up Light exploded out, incinerating the orange tinted Knight. Quickly lashing out with an Arc-laced foot, he sent the limb through a Knight's head with a jumping spin kick. The last one was bisected as a Void made shield crashed into its chest cavity and went through it like tissue paper. Ares landed and took a deep breath. He had not switched between his Light attributes like that in a long time.

He stood, popping his shoulders as the magic holding the doors closed ceased and they slowly ground open. The Titan raised his weapon to its position against the shoulder and marched in. Inside Ares saw something both incredible and terrifying.

Endless, massive, cylindrical cells, each hanging from cords, ready to be discarded on a whim. Bridges with no guards wound down to each from the skin of the ship.

A glint of metal from the shadows took Ares from his thoughts as he swung The Doctor to its position.

"A-Ares," came a weak and distorted but familiar voice, "Harmo-Harmonia? Is that you?" Slowly a shape made its way from the shadows.

It was Alastor.

He looked terrible.

Scratches and cracks adorned his black green-speckled shell and one fin was missing. His eye flickered feebly as he looked to them with exhaustion evident. Harmonia quickly left Ares' Light and went to her friend and looked him over. "Ares! Light! Now!" She commanded. Ares rushed over and held up two hands on either side of Alastor. Light in its rawest possible form for Ares emanated from his palms. Slowly, worryingly so, Alastor began to heal. The cracks receded and the scratches disappeared. The Ghost perked up slightly as he absorbed the Light.

"I..I'm so glad," he said. "They finally sent help. I-I was beginning to worry." Alastor glanced up to Ares helm in worry. "Cain...he's in a cell here. Oryx has been torturing him personally. I-I've done what I can to help him but that," his core gestured back to the missing fin, "was when he almost caught me. That was 437 hours, 31 minutes and 48 seconds ago. Before that Cain had been captured for 19 hours, 49 minutes and 16 s-seconds. However, t-that fin is now lodged in the Taken King's eye," he finished proudly.

Ares chuckled internally, good on the little Light for messing with Oryx. "Can you lead us to him?" An affirmative dip of the Ghost was his response. "Then let's go, quickly." Ares masked his Light to the lowest level possible and the group began to move, Harmonia merging back to Ares' Light as Alastor led them.

He led them deep, oh so very, very deep into the ship. Through stealth and luck, no conflict that would alert the Taken King was had.

They stopped finally.

"This it?"

Alastor dipped in a nod. "This is it." The cell was heavily fortified, runes adorning every last visible inch of it. Oryx took no risk it seemed.

"Harmonia? Can you open it without-"

His Ghost materialized from his Light and looked at him. Harmonia rolled her eye and went to work mumbling in annoyance.

Ares wisely said nothing as he stood guard.

* * *

It felt like forever.

How long had he been here?

He could feel no Light.

His Ghost was gone.

Help was not coming.

It was dark.

Suffocating.

Quiet.

Wayyyy too quiet.

He was supremely bored.

And the chains sucked.

He couldn't even scratch himself from this spread eagle position.

It felt like forever since he had been trapped. Since then Oryx came by often to personally...entertain him.

At first there was no torture. He had simply spoke with the Guardian, trying to turn him to the Deep. Cain of course oh so wisely proceeded dig into the King about his son's death and, when he provoked Oryx, to physically hit the Taken King in the head with his own, unknowingly digging a piece of Alastor's shell deeper. After that, well, Cain thought he had felt pain before.

He was wrong.

The way Oryx used the Dark was as impressive as it was agonizing. He used it to directly attack Cain's Light, but was careful never to snuff it out. He wanted to continue as long as possible.

The Hive runes on the door to his prison glowed before going black. Oh goodie. It seemed it was that time again.

"So Ory-boy," Cain called to the darkness, not even lifting his head, "what'll it be this time? Dark attack again? Or some activation of the pain runes? Oh! Oh! How about the good ol' hack and slash? Though I will admit I've grown rather partial to the method where you rip out my Light bit by bit before shoving it all back in like stuffing in a toy." His voice was strong, not letting Oryx know how badly he was hurting.

A voice answered him. "Ever the snark Cain."

Wait...that wasn't Oryx.

Cain's head whipped up, "Ares...Well I'll be damned," he tried to sound strong, he really did, but the strain in his voice was evident of just how long he spent in Oryx's care. "That you, you Hive Slayer asshole?...The Vanguard pulled out all the...all the stops huh? C-curious, how many did you take out before you got here?" He chuckled weakly, "You really think...th-they'd learn to run whe-when they hear the s-sounds of heavy metal and...gu-gunshots." Cain coughed heavily as Ares approached.

"Sure," Ares strode from the shadows with purpose towards Cain. He set about undoing the chains one by one. "Insult the guy saving your shiny metal ass. Real smart idea Cain."

Cain chuckled weakly in relief. "Hey...I gotta get ya to let loose every now and then...Otherwise when...when you open your mouth, we can see that...big...fuckin' stick up your ass...in the back of your throat." The pain in his voice caused the hate Ares had for the Hive to rise just a little more. They would pay.

Ares got him down and Cain fell to his knees as the last chain came undone. A heavily armored hand filled his vision. The Exo reached up and grasped it. Ares pulled him to his feet and the bright light Harmonia cast on him revealed the physical trauma Oryx dealt.

Long trenches of rent black metal littered Cain's face, one eye was dysfunctional as a result. His jaw hung at an awkward angle, and there was a weird rustic looking wound on where his left ear fin used to be. His cloak was torn to shreds, armor slashed, clawed, and otherwise destroyed. His signature helmet was nowhere to be seen.

All in all, Cain went through hell and it showed.

"Alastor? Are you strong enough to heal him yet?" Cain's lone eye shone brighter at Ares' statement. Alastor was here? His Ghost was safe?

The Ghost in question flew forward. "Not yet. We need to get to the outside part of the ship. The Light is smothered in here."

"Then let us get there then. Cain, are you well enough to walk?"

He nodded and went to take a step, "Yea-" Cain fell forward and Ares caught him. He slung Cain over his shoulder. "Oh c'mon man...this is just embarrassing."

"You cannot walk and I am the only combat fit Guardian here," Ares stated, his mission personality back in place. He drew Ironwreath-D from his thigh. "We need to hurry. The longer we dwell, the longer the Taken King has to discover us."

Alastor nodded. "Let's get out of here then."

The group began to move, fast but stealthy as possible. The way to the outer shell provided no difficulty, but it was suspiciously easy. There was inter-dimensional plasma-like...goo of the Taken all over the place with a massive splatter on the edge of the hole of the ship.

"Alastor? Is this close enough," Ares asked, eyes panning the room where the Cabal and Hive had been doing battle only a short time ago. All was silent now.

"This is perfect." The Ghost nodded and Ares set Cain-1 down against a nearby pillar.

"Hurry and heal him," Alastor began to do just that. Ares felt something off about the situation in his gut. "We need both of us combat capable on the chance Oryx attacks us on the ship. Harmonia bring Galliot around."

It was slow going due to the Dark inflicted wounds but Cain was healing as time ticked on. The next few minutes were spent in tense silence. Ares felt something coming. The ship shook and he heard a distant roar. "Alastor! Hurry," Ares called as he hefted The Doctor to his shoulder.

A bang echoed across the room. A dark shadow flew from the darkness above the Cabal warship and swooped down. "SON KILLER! YOU SHALL NOT ESCAPE," came the bellow of the Taken King.

Oryx had come.

Ares hated when he was right.

He fired several shots from his creation trained directly on the King's facial region. Oryx flew around the shots and hefted his sword.

"Cain! Run! I'll hold him off," he knew the look Cain was giving him. "GO!" Ares roared. He heard Cain curse behind him as hurried, limping, footsteps receded. _'Harmonia. Oryx is here. Stay away,'_ he sent over their mental link.

The King of the Taken went to pursue his prisoner but a flaming hammer would have exploded on his face had he not flipped his sword so the width took the brunt. The blast obscured his vision and the force still pushed him back. He roared as he reared back. "Your opponent is me Auryx." Ares snarled as he formed another hammer. On his left arm, a large, circular, Void-made shield with a two-headed pheonix came into existence. He raised the shield until it was below his eyes and willed his hammer into a hand-and-a-half form for more reach.

Oryx grasped his sword with both hands, clawed fingers curling around the handle. "Your Light shall belong to me then Titan," he growled.

In an instant Oryx was on Ares, sword in mid-swing. He lifted his shield from the ground to block the strike but Oryx diverted last second and the Titan was forced to jump back lest his legs be severed. All was not lost in this maneuver however as he threw his shield at the King and willed his hammer into a Maul of burning Light.

Ares landed and rushed towards Oryx and swung with all his might upwards. Oryx deflected the shield and it flew off to the side. He saw the swing coming last second and moved back to avoid it. The Titan let go with a single hand and formed another hammer as his original shortened. Ares saw a darting color of blue far off the Dreadnought and cursed. Why of now did his Ghost decide to disobey?

Oryx focused on Ares, disregarding the ship in its entirety. He swung, blade a black horizontal flash across his vision. Ares bent backwards and kicked up, sending his foot into Oryx's chest. A snarling cough let him know he had landed a solid hit.

First blood belonged to him.

Oryx did not let that stand. He came at Ares, much faster than before. Slash, stab, slash, claw, backhand, Ares was hard pressed to block and dodge them all, such was the speed. He caught the pitch blade of the King between the hooked beaks of his hammers as Ares diverted the path of the swing.

Thus began his fight for survival.

Their fight took them all across the room as they fought for several minutes that stretched eternity. Ares had gone for more speed and less defense and opted to form another smaller and denser shield on his arm. The Titan dropped his left shoulder back and stepped to the side to avoid another slash. He threw the shield, Oryx tilting his head to dodge. Ares ran at him and got inside the guard of the Taken King. He called his shield back and it struck the blindside of Oryx's head then faded. He jumped and sent an Arc filled spin-kick with the force of a freight train at Oryx's face and sent the King skidding back.

Oryx gripped his face and stood. A growl was all that was issued. He was on Ares again within a second, his hand lashing out with speed that had yet to be seen, Oryx grabbed Ares by the head and threw him into the personal ship of the Titan that had arrived milliseconds before. He crashed through the ship and sent both careening into the Taken plasma-like substance that linked dimensions.

Ares fell unconscious to the screeching of rending metal, tearing earth and Harmonia screaming his name.

Deep in unknown territory, red irises set in pitch orbs snapped open in the night. A snarl found its way onto a beautiful, black veined, pale face. A regal voice spat words with so much _venom_ , it could kill gods themselves.

"Light has returned to Remnant."


	2. Chapter 2

**Howdy folks! The method seems to be working. Got most of the next Lost Stars chap done, and this got cranked out fast. Happy thanksgiving everyone!**

* * *

 _I have a mission today Journ. With Ember, think I told ya about her. She's a Hunter like me, and Ares' bonded. Dunno what she sees in that bloke but hey, I'm not one to judge. It's a Hive mission. Supposed to be easy. Hopefully. I don't care what happens to me. But Traveler, don't let anything happen to her. I've been through the loss, and I still haven't gotten over Meri. Please, don't make Ares have to go through that. Not him. I promised him I'd protect her. He's already lost so much... Fireteam Hydra is down to half now...on that happy note I'll end this log here. I'll write after the mission._

 _-Log from Cain-1's Journal, given as one of two parts. Gained by Ikora when asked, after the Hidden Agents were injured._

* * *

Ares awoke with a groan, his mind and senses foggy. He attempted to stand. Key word being attempted. Pain flared up his leg and side when he moved. Looking down, he saw the reason.

There, sticking from his leg, was a massive shard of the siding of his ship. It nearly bisected his shin. Ares cursed. His eyes wandered to his side, punching through his armor was a metal rod as thick as his wrist. Ares couldn't see it, but from the throbbing on his face he assumed two things and he was more mad about one than the other.

Firstly, he realized his helmet had been knocked off when he landed.

Secondly, his face really fucking hurt, he assumed it looked as bad as it felt.

He looked around, seeing hide nor hair of Harmonia. Panic began to set in. ' _Harmonia?'_ He called mentally.

No response was had.

He looked back to his leg. Sighing knowing this would cause utter agony until healed, he ripped his leg off the metal. He bit back a scream and grabbed two smaller shards and grabbed some cloth from his ruined Mark and made a makeshift splint, leaving the points lower than his foot in order to alleviate some weight. Debating on the topic of the rod in his side, in the end he used strength that rivaled Zavala's himself to snap the rod at the base of where it met the ship.

Hissing in pain as he stood, Ares looked over himself. His armor was in working order, but it was in dire need of repairs, his Mark of the Sunbreakers was utterly ruined, Ares removed the hammer from it, a weapon was needed in unknown territory, and The Doctor? Ripped apart, his creation laid in pieces scattered over the ground. His Dunemarchers were the only part in working order, that in and of itself was a miracle.

Ares surveyed his surroundings through the broken window of the cockpit. It seemed he had landed there when Oryx threw him.

He seemed to be in a forest, the distant sound of roaring water let him know that there was a waterfall nearby. Ares stood and winced as his leg flared up. Traveler it hurt, but he would persevere. He needed to find Harmonia. He looked around more and saw the damage his ship had done.

The ground was rent asunder, scarred for centuries to come. Trees had been obviously crashed through leaving a clear marker as to where he was, that was a problem. He held his side limped through the wreckage. He saw a black blot half sticking out of the ground, he walked over. It was his helmet. His gift from Lord Saladin was ruined, bent into an unrecognizable lump of metal. He saw the Iron Banner sigil at the base of the helmet and it was the only reason he knew what it was. He sighed and continued his limping walk and arrived at what was left of his Armory, each step leaving a bloody trail. He quickly scanned over the room and cursed.

Thunderlord, in pieces.

The Jade Rabbit, demolished.

The gifts of the Iron Lords, decimated.

His sword, snapped in multiple pieces.

His weapons, gone, broken.

His armor sets, destroyed beyond repair.

Dammit all!

He sifted through the debris, trying to find some weapon, any weapon. His hammer alone was not going to cut it. He finally found something, which was better than nothing.

It was a Dreg's Shock Pistol. The weapon was not unfamiliar, just not intimately known.

It would suffice.

He checked to ensure it was loaded, as all his weapons were should he need them at a moment's notice, and left the Armory, blood and debris all that was left in his wake.

His mind had cleared slightly as he made his way out of his destroyed ship, climbing over multiple burning pieces of metal and other debris. Upon exiting the ship he sent out a pulse of Light to find out where his partner went. The return of info caused him to immediately fell to his knees and he vomited the entirety of the contents of his stomach as his mind was assaulted by the feeling every Guardian knew on instinct. It was ingrained in their very being.

Sludge on the mind.

Inky, black, disgusting vileness in his soul.

The feeling of _wrongness._

 ** _Darkness_**

This planet, this planet was covered with it. He could feel it, violating the very air with its existence.

After a moment to gather himself, he stood shakily clutching his side. He had found a scant trace of Light. That had to be his Ghost. It was better than nothing.

With that thought on his mind, Ares began to move one limping, strained step at a time.

Harmonia hummed to herself to pass the time. She was scouting. So far what she found was disturbing to say the least. It had been 15 hours, 32 minutes and 17 seconds since they had landed here as a result of Oryx's action. Ares had been nearly killed. She had healed him enough to where he wouldn't die as long as he stayed there. Honestly, it would have been easier if he died, she could just resurrect him outside the damaged area, but he was adamant on keeping his death toll as little as possible. It had nothing to do with pride so much as losing himself, in his own words.

This planet however, was intriguing yet concerning. The Darkness that encompassed nearly all of the planet. She had scanned the cosmos while Ares was out. They were certainly nowhere near home. This planet...the Traveler had visited it definitely. The traces of the Traveler's Light were apparent in the atmosphere, the ground and the life she saw. She also saw what form the Darkness had taken here. Pitch colored creatures with bone plates stalked the forest.

One feline looking one had seen her. She had seen it however and she showed it why she was the Strongest Ghost of the Tower. Harmonia hadn't even moved from her spot, only her back fins spun as she fired a super heated beam from her core straight into its head. It was dead before it hit the ground.

Gliding down to the beast, she began scanning. She noticed it began decaying immediately, "At least they are self-cleaning," Harmonia commented as she went over the data she now had.

Pure Darkness is what made up these beings, why they took the shapes of animals she knew not. This one seemed young, with few boney plates to its name along with its small size, but that was just a theory. She would have to see more to know for certain. She heard the cracking of branching and shifting of grass underfoot and looked to the sound of the noise.

A large black hand reached towards her as the huge shape stumbled out of the woodwork. It fell onto its front and hissed in pain.

It was Ares.

Harmonia immediately flew over. He rolled onto his back to face his Ghost. "Ares! You finally woke up!" She looked over him and tutted at seeing his leg and side in the state they were. "Why didn't you just stay where you were? I was just about to come back for you and heal you if you were awake."

Ares grunted, "And you saw fit not to do it while I was unconscious due to what?"

"I didn't want to mess up the transmat of the pieces. Its difficult with people. Objects? Easy, if something gets cut off by an atom or two no big deal. People? If that happens to people I may just accidentally fuse the two materials I am trying to separate." Harmonia spoke softly and looked down as her back fins slowly spun.

Ares managed a small smile, bloodstained as it was. His Ghost was just worried, as usual. "It is alright. It is behind us. Let us focus on the present and figure out where we are. Are you still connected to the Traveler's Light?"

Harmonia seemed to make a so-so gesture with her body. "Yes and no. This planet has Light Ares, I think the Traveler visited this place. That means if needed, resurrection is possible. But," she seemed worried now, "my connection to the Traveler seems...distant very, very distant. Which means we are so far from it...," she looked to her Guardian, blue eye half hidden by her shell as she bluntly told her Guardian what she had found, "I don't think we could get home even if we had _millennia_ to spare Ares."

Ares cursed yet again. "Traveler above this is bad. But we _will_ get home Harmonia, make no mistake of that, no matter how long it takes us." His eyes burned with a fire, a fire that spoke of no uncertainty in his statement.

He really meant it.

Harmonia nodded to herself.

"Yes. We will. Now lets get you patched up partner." Ares motioned to his side as it was the more pressing wound. Harmonia flew low. She examined the wound some more than she had earlier and spoke with a tone that was pure focus, "Remove the pipe by pushing out the back enough to where you can grab the front, then pull and I'll heal the wound as it goes to prevent blood loss. Slowly."

Ares nodded and grit his teeth. Moving his hand to his side, he began to push. It hurt, a lot. But it was healing. Once that bit of painful fun was had, Harmonia moved to his leg. "The shard in it was attached to the ship," he explained, "so I just pulled the leg off it. Nothing left inside as far as I know." How many times had they done this song and dance, Ares wondered, he would get injured, and due to his own regards with death, he took longer to heal even if it was just a few minutes more.

He sighed pleasantly as he was brought back to full health. He cracked his neck to the side, "So tell me. While you were scouting what did you find?"

Harmonia tilted side to side as she thought, "I sensed a larger gathering of Light, but the amount present was like a small settlement of civilians, yet at the same time it felt...locked. It felt like there was more to their Light but it was bound."

"Did you see an actual settlement?" She nodded her head.

"I think so judging by the walls I saw. As capable as I am, I do not know what they possess. If I approached they may have attacked."

"I see, we shall approach in the morning," Ares stated looking to the sky that was quickly turning to dusk, "for now we need to hide the ship's wreckage. Have you seen any caves large enough to hide it?"

"There is one behind a waterfall nearby," that statement caused Ares to chuckle internally, he felt like a secret spy or something.

He nodded, "Let's get it transmatted inside. We can use the cloaking tech Cayde gave us a while ago to mask the cave entrance," with that last order given the duo set off back to the wreckage.

It took them past nightfall to get all the pieces safely inside the cave system and scavenge what they could. No more armor or weapons sadly, and Harmonia was unable to fix them. Somethings they found however, brought a happy cheer from the Ghost.

"Yes! The metal survived the crash," Harmonia looked at the pure metal they had. Lord Saladin had showed them where the Iron Lords found their materials whilst under their tutelage. They had fortunately stocked up on the metal before departing for their mission.

While that was good news, something else had Ares in high spirits, "The Shard is safe as well, through some miracle. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth."

Harmonia nodded. "And it still filled with Light, but not as much as a shard this large would have."

"It seems its time in the Hive's care took most of it," Ares hummed to himself as he laid a hand on the object, working it under the Light-hiding sealing and began to channel Light into the Shard. It felt like something was stirring inside, but it settled. "Peculiar," he removed his hand and redid the sealing. That would take investigating certainly. For now, they would scout as one. "Harmonia, come, we are going to scout around," sheathing the hammer on his waist mag holster and the Dreg Shock Pistol on his thigh, he set out.

They left the cave and cloaked the entrance. Once satisfied it was safely hidden, Ares set out, Harmonia melded into his Light once more. The moment they left the roar of the waterfall, they heard something.

Using Light to enhance his senses, Ares strained his ears to pickup the noise. It was screams, smelling the air, he found a tinge of smoke and ash. Turning around he saw a orange glow on the horizon.

 _'Harmonia, which direction was that settlement,'_ as he drew the pistol his Ghost told him. Ares was moving before she finished.

He activated his Dunemarchers and bolted through the forest around him.

It took him several minutes even with the Dunemarchers to get to the wall Harmonia spoke of.

He smelled the fire before he saw it. The Guardian came upon a wall.

It was tall. Very tall. If he had to wager a guess he would say at least fourty feet.

However.

Walls don't matter once they're broken.

He knew that all too well.

Ares noticed the stream of Dark Creatures that streamed in, avian to lupine to sapiens to even equine, the creatures rushed about the wrecked wall.

He heard screams and he began to move. Ares raised the pistol and fired a shot without looking at the lupine beast that attempted to attack him. It fell without the Lightbearer breaking stride. Ares fired round upon round into the horde, thinning it with each discharge. With each black body that fell, he moved closer to the town.

* * *

A man with black hair and gold eyes held a spear as he fended off one of the creatures with the men of the town guard against the creatures of Grimm. The man was known as Asha Miko, head of the guard of the town of Milas.

The beasts had broke through the walls. Luckily, it was a small hole. They had managed to evacuate many of the townsfolk into the shelter behind him.

 _"Brothers! Lock shields, we shall hold! We shall not break,"_ he called in the native tongue of Mistral.

His men obeyed and they formed a wall, spears glinting with the blood of the Grimm. His men had stone faces as the next group approached them, Beringels and Beowulves. Asha gripped his spear tighter.

Then, the Grimm at the wall exploded in blinding Light.

Asha blinked away the colors in his vision and readied his spear for the onrush.

It never came.

Asha looked at the Grimm that stampeded back to the hole, drawn to something.

And he saw a man.

He was massive with hair as red as blood, skin paler than snow. He seemed to be wearing ruined armor, a hammer at his side and a strange weapon in his hand.

The man turned and took a deep, slow breath in as he took in the situation.

There was carnage.

Buildings destroyed.

Fire burning the town to ash.

Bodies ripped apart.

Human bodies.

Creatures of the Dark feasting upon the dead.

The man breathed out, face forming a snarl.

Then, he was gone.

He reappeared, stopped in front of one of the Beringel with his fist cocked back, he launched it and it flew through its chest cavity, thick bone plating doing nothing to stop it. Using the strange weapon in his currently not deep in Dark hand, he aimed it under the head as it looked down at him and pulled a trigger. It blew the head apart and the man _ripped_ his hand out, flicking the flesh off. More creatures of the Dark sensed him, sensed his power, and attacked as one, covering the man from view.

Asha cursed, another death this day. He and his readied themselves for the horde that would rush them once the Grimm dealt with the man.

Only for the Grimm that had dog piled the man to explode as the man was seen inside the mass, finishing a spin. Flames licked at his form, his back to Asha's view.

Battle between the two opposing sides lulled for a brief second, then resumed.

He moved like a never ending current, flowing from one kill to the next.

A Boarbatusk spun at the man, he caught it by the tusks. Catching it under the snout with the edge of his boot, he kicked it and snapped off the tusks as the body was sent flying from the force. He flipped one into an underside grip. Two Beowulves attacked the man's back as he dealt with one of their Grimm brethren.

The man didn't even look as he swept low and sliced, catching one's leg on his impromptu hook and the other one in its ribcage. He launched them into their kin, the leg being torn off and the bodies off the tusks as he jumped and snapped the neck of an approaching Ursa. Its head was ripped from its shoulders due to the pure force. As he kicked, he launched a punch at another Beowulf, caving in its skull.

Asha was in awe of the man slaughtered the Grimm like cattle.

He was an unstoppable force and an immovable object.

The horde was endless, but so was the rage of the War God.

That was what the man had to be, for no mere man had the power this one possessed.

The man ducked under a dive-bomb from one of the Nevermore catching its talon as it passed. The massive being screeched in rage as it was caught. The man tightened his grip, face set in a savage snarl, his eyes burning with so much Light it flowed forth covering his eyes in blinding white. He turned on his heel and crashed the Nevermore into the final of its kin, a lowly Tajitu, crushing all three heads at once.

He stood there, panting for a brief moment, then he roared a loud, resounding roar that echoed over the land, challenging any more Grimm to attempt to take him down.

None answered the call.

* * *

Breathing heavily, Ares allowed his Light to fade as he fell to a knee. That, was tough especially since he had expended so much Light healing his wounds from the crash.

 _'You did well Ares, but you need to know how to pace yourself,'_ Harmonia spoke in his mind.

 _'We both know I am only breathing hard due to the fact we used much Light to heal me and transmat the ship,'_ he retorted.

 _'Shush. I'm the Ghost. I'm supposed to be right.'_

He rolled his eyes at his partner and saw a man with black hair approach. Ares stood, legs steady despite the exhaustion he felt.

 _"Are you well Battlewright?"_ The man asked.

Ares raised an eyebrow, he couldn't understand the man. _'Harmonia do you recognize the dialect,'_ Ares asked watching the man warily.

 _'If he speaks some more I may be able to cross reference it.'_

The man seemed to sense Ares confusion and said once more, this time using gestures, pointing to Ares then gesturing to his own wounds then back to Ares, _"Are you well Battlewright,"_ the man pointed to himself again, _"I am Asha Miko."_

Ares seemed to understand the man's gestures at least. He nodded. He was okay, and the man's name was Asha Miko it seemed. _'Harmonia? You got it yet?'_

There was a brief silence before Harmonia spoke, _'It seems to be a blend of several Earth languages. Mainly French, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese. One second, you'll feel a slight shock, I'm going to essentially download them all into your brain. You should be able to understand then.'_

Ares' eyes clenched shut as he felt the effects, _'That hurt,'_ he thought before he shook his head to clear it. A minor headache was left in the wake of his Ghost's doing.

"Battlewright? Are you well?"

"That word," Ares' voice came out speaking as the man did automatically, "what does it mean? Why address me by it?"

Asha's eyes lit up as it seemed the god could understand him. "Ah! You can understand me. Good. Battlewright, it is a title we give to our greatest warriors, the ones of our history that have fought the Grimm with a ferocity and skill not commonly seen. Based on your prowess today I say you have earned the title," Asha cocked an eyebrow. "Unless you wish to be addressed differently?"

"Call me Ares," he stated.

"No family name," Asha asked. He figured even gods had family, the Brothers showed that.

Ares thought for a moment. "Nike. Ares Nike."

Asha smiled at him, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance War God Ares Nike." The warrior knelt and bowed, as did the men behind him who approached at their leader's urging. "Thank you for saving Milas. Our home. If there is any way to repay you please, just say the word."

 _'...God?'_

 _'I blame you,'_ Ares stated to his partner. _'I do not know how but this is your fault.'_ Sighing he spoke, "Stand, I am no god Asha. But if you wish it I would enjoy meeting with your town's leader."

Asha stood and nodded. "Yes. We can do that. Come. Meet the town first. Everyone is in the shelter. Follow please." Asha turned on his heel and gestured. They began walking. "We are fortunate you came when you did, the Grimm would have overran us if not for you."

"The Grimm. Do you mean those Dark beasts?"

He nodded. "They have plagued Remnant since we can remember. Some think they came from the shattered moon. Some think they came from the underworld. Some think they exist because we exist," he shrugged. "We know not. We just know they hunt us. So we fight to survive."

 _'Wait,'_ Ares looked to the sky. What he saw caused him to lose composure from sheer shock, the moon was indeed shattered outward on one side.

 _'WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR MOON?'_


	3. Chapter 3

**So they have an App now. its sorta neat.**

* * *

 _[SUBJECT: TITAN: ARES] [SUBMITTED BY: HUNTER: EMBER(Bonded)]_

 _Everything is quiet except for the scratch of pen on paper. It is not the first time he has done this. Nor will it be the last._

 _Ares set his pen down as he finished the log. He looked over his entry for any mistakes. As he did, his vision was obscured by two soft hands. He smiles. "You know, I'm trying to do something here."_

 _I smile softly back, "I know," I lean over him and move my hands down to his chin and we share a soft kiss. "But your loving bonded needs attention too."_

 _"Well you are lucky. I just finished."_

 _I brush a thumb over his cheek, "Why do you put so much effort into this? The Cryptarchs and Warlocks already do it," I ask as he does this at least three to five times a week. Sometimes more._

 _"You know why Ember. They won't get every thing. They'll miss something. Some story. Some tale. Something."_

 _I tap his nose, "And you think you won't Mr. War God?"_

 _He chuckles. I love that noise. I'm one of maybe three to five people that get to hear it. The others being maybe Saladin, Zavala and definitely Cain and Meri. Those two are a cute couple. "No, no, I'm not that arrogant. But between the three of us I hope we get enough."_

 _"But why?" By this time I've climbed into his lap and nestled into the best seat ever._

 _"Because as you know," he's stroking my hair now. It's so comforting. The jerk is trying to put me to sleep, "the world is not nice. The heroes...the heroes don't always get to come home. As much hope as we bring, the world is dark, grim, and some don't see the Light at the end. So as much as we can, we have to prepare for those who come next."_

 _I yawn and lay my head on his shoulder. "Do you?"_

 _"Do I what?"_

 _I yawn. He smiles. Jerk. "See the Light at the end?"_

 _"That's the thing," this time his chuckle sounds weird. Not Ares-like. "I don't know anymore Ember."_

* * *

Getting over his initial shock of the moon, Ares composed himself. "So. The shelter?" He asked and Asha nodded. They walked down a flight of stairs pulled open some large thick metal doors.

Inside was well over a few hundred souls. Men, women, children and the elderly. Human and...Non humans? Ares kept his composure but was slightly shocked.

Humans with animal traits.

Interesting.

It was certainly different from how things were at the Tower. Then again, they had sentient robots. Not like this place had any right? Their tech level as of what he had seen seemed just below the medieval age.

Ares moved forward, following Asha. The people stared at Ares. Some in relief, having heard of his exploits in the town already, others keeping wary eyes on the heavily armored man. He let them stare. Let them guess. It mattered not to the Titan.

They quickly came upon a white haired woman with gray eyes. She looked wise and had signs of advanced age, yet she looked youngish. She wore several necklaces along with a black and jade colored robe. Her hands were together in the sleeves, hidden from view. The woman was also very short Ares noticed.

She was discussing things with a brown haired man but turned and looked to Asha as they approached.

"Miko? Who is this man you bring to me?" She asked, her voice was deceptively young for as aged as she looked.

Asha bowed, "Grandmother, this is the man responsible for fending off the Grimm."

An eyebrow rose as a pleasant smile found its way onto her face. "Oho, truly?" She bowed to Ares, "Well then. You have my thanks for saving my home and people..."

"Ares, Miss. Ares Nike."

She nodded, "Ares Nike. I am Loria Miko, leader of the town. Come," she waved her hand to a small fire with a cook-pot and several log stools. "Sit a while. Battling the Grimm never is easy."

Asha shook his head as he and Ares eased onto the logs. "For him it was, Grandmother. They stood like straw houses before a storm."

Loria chuckled to herself, "Oho, truly? Then there is more to him than meets the eye. Tell me, from where do you hail, Ares Nike?"

Ares thought, "I come from a place far from here, it is called the Last City."

"What has brought you to our town?"

"I am lost from my people with no way back to them. I saw the danger and came as swiftly as I could."

Loria's brow furrowed at the news. She looked to her grandson who's eyes were hard. It seemed it was the first he had heard of this as well. "How did you find yourself here if I may be bold enough to ask?"

Ares held up a hand. "It is of no offense to ask. I battled with a King. He had taken a comrade of mine captive. I rescued him but encountered the King on the way out. The battle was short but exhausting for the both of us. I dueled him with all my might in order to give my comrade time to escape."

"A noble reason," Loria stated, "did your comrade make it?"

Ares sighed, and his body showed fatigue for the first time in a long while as he slouched, arms restong on his thighs as he stared into the depths of the fire. "Traveler above I hope so. The City needs him much more than it needs me."

Loria frowned, based on what little she had heard about his combat skill, he was a master of battle. He did not think much of himself it seemed. She nodded to herself. "I have decided. You will stay. Stay until we repay you."

Ares looked up, "Truly Loria Miko it is no need. I have a camp nearby."

The glare she gave him could have sent Shaxx running for the hills. "You will stay. We will repay. Your armor. It is ruined no? You are weaponless. No matter the skill, no one survives long in the Wilds with the Grimm without proper protection."

Ares' eyes widened as his hands shot to his waist and thigh. Dammit, his weapons were indeed gone. They must have been lost in the battle. He cursed under his breath.

Asha began to laugh, "You had better do as she says Battlewright, Grandmother is more stubborn than the Grimm."

Ares sighed and ran a hand through his blood colored locks. Then he nodded. "So be it."

* * *

A figure limped through the halls of the Vanguard Tower. Eyes full of shock and awe followed. Abyssal depths burned with a vindictive fire as the figure continued towards the Vanguard room in the slow but steady gait. Shaxx gave a hearty laugh of relief as they passed. "I knew you would be back, Ironson."

The doors to the Vanguard room, shut only when the trio were at their busiest or were holding meetings. Were suddenly forced open with a loud bang. The three Vanguard instantly had their Light primed to deal with the potential threat.

Cayde-6 lowered the Ace of Spades, shock evident, "Cain?"

They hadn't heard from him in over two months, when Ares had gone to rescue him. They were actually holding a meeting on what to do next, assuming the worst had happened to the duo.

Cain stood in the doorway, eyes of the Nighthawk burning with unbridled hate. He stood lightly on one leg. His cloak was tattered towards the bottom. His armor had certainly seen better days. Though upon looking at it, it wasn't his original set. It looked to be made of Hive chitin. The chest-plate was cracked diagonally, his armguards had been shattered in a spiderweb. His shinguards had one missing evident by the small amount still clinging to the material. That same leg was missing from the ankle down. It spit sparks angrily, flashing every few seconds.

He stood there, one arm clutching the elbow of the other that held a hand-cannon. The hand-cannon was loosely held. His breath came out in heavy pants.

"Cain...what the hell happened to you? Where's Ares?"

"In...in order," he croaked, voice filled with static, "Oryx...and..Ares is...gone."

That sole sentence caused pin-drop silence. Zavala's protégé, one of the best Titans the Tower had to offer, was gone? It was nigh inconceivable.

Zavala laid his hands flat on the table and stared down at it for a long time. Finally, he spoke, his voice emotionless and low.

"How?"

Cain made his way down the steps carefully, "He...got me out of the cell Oryx...crammed me in. Once..Once we got to the skin of the ship... Al began healing me...and...Oryx found us. I...wasn't combat ready so Ares," Cain grunted as he finally got to the table. "Ares bought me some...some time. He made me run. I know him...he wouldn't have been able to fight fully if...if he had to protect me. I hid nearby, masking my Light. And..watched."

Ikora raised an eyebrow, "And why are you in the state you are in now?"

Cain chuckled, then coughed. "I'll...I'll get to that. Oryx and Ares fought. And Ares was winning...but...but then Oryx pulled some bullshit and...got stronger and faster. He grabbed Ares and...threw him through his ship into some Taken goo...His ship went through it too. Al had finished healing me by then. I...waited. Waited until Oryx left. Then tracked him. Found him..." Cain chuckled, "and sent his Hive ass...back to his Ascendant Realm. As...as for why I'm still fucked up?...He got a few...licks in. He fights with the actual Darkness. Wields it like a surgeon's scalpel...these...gotta pull the Dark out for the Light to heal."

Ikora nodded, sadness evident in her features. She quite enjoyed the company of the Titan when Ares was around. "See Eris Mor-"

Cain snorted.

"No."

"No?"

"Pardon me...fuck no. I'm not dumb enough...to go to that Hive serving woman."

Cayde spoke up. "So, you said Oryx threw him into Taken Goo? As in, like, he didn't come out the other side?"

Cain shook his head, metal creaking as he did so. "No...had Al scan it...inter-dimensional shit." His neck screeched as he looked to Zavala. "I'm sorry Zavala. Al said he had no idea where...where it came out. No way to track right now."

"Cain, there has to be some...way..." Ikora trailed off as Zavala walked out, head low, eyes staring at the floor and nothing at the same time.

Silence reigned in his wake. Cain held the hand cannon he had scavenged in a death-grip, his body shaking.

Dawn broke over Milas, and Ares left his meditative state. He did not sleep often. Guardians had no need of such things. The mountain of a man rose, standing on the large boulder he used as a platform and faced the sunrise. Some members of the town had awoken before the sun rose. They passed Ares and he ignored them, communing with his Light.

He sensed someone approaching. He turned to see who it was.

Asha.

"Ah! Good morning to you Ares Nike. How was your night?"

"It was pleasant enough. I retrieved the metal to be used as we discussed last night." Asha nodded. He remembered that discussion.

"Good, good, the blacksmith should be opening now. Come. Follow. I will lead you to him."

Ares picked up the large bag on the ground next to him and began walking.

They shortly arrived at a building with an curved, open doorway. Ares smelled the ash, and fire of a forge and smiled softly. It had been a while since he had forged anything. He missed the forges of the Iron Lords.

Asha called out, "Pan Wirak! I bring the War God!"

Ares sighed, he was stuck with that wasn't he? He understood the Tower, they made nicknames all the time. But these people actually thought him a god.

A deep voice rumbled from the back of the forge. "Come on back!"

They began to maneuver through the well kept forge front and into the back where the sounds of a hammer striking an anvil rang out.

Coming around the corner, Ares saw the blacksmith. They were a...Faunus if he recalled correctly. He had two ram horns that curled back behind his close cropped black hair. His skin was very tanned and he had a thick beard in a braid. His arms and chest were muscular from the years of forge work. He smiled and grabbed Asha's hand and drew him close. "Asha Miko! Good to see you." He turned to Ares with a scrutinizing gaze. "So this is the War God?" He began to look over Ares' form. "Heavy armor user. Berserker? No, too heavy. Bastion? Potential. Hold out arms, remove gloves." Ares raised an eyebrow at the odd request but did so. Pan grabbed a hand and began examining it with a practiced gaze. "Calluses formed from two handed weapon. Bow. No. Calluses too big. Spear? No, grip wrong. Axe? Likely. Sword? Maybe. Hammer?...Hammer definitely. Juggernaut." Pan seemed satisfied and stepped back.

Asha gave an apologetic look to Ares at his friend's quirks.

"So. What do you need forged Ares Nike? Do you have materials or payment?"

Ares nodded and lifted the large bag in front of him then set it down. Pan looked inside. "I brought materials."

"Grandmother will pay for the creations," Asha remarked smiling.

Pan's brow furrowed as he looked over the materials Ares brought along, "I have not seen this metal before. I cannot work with it."

"Worry not Pan Wirak. I have. I can guide you," the Titan answered

The man nodded. "Designs?"

Ares pulled several pieces of rolled scrolls from the pocket of the bag. "All here. I made alterations after seeing weaponry from this town."

Pan smiled. "I made every blade. It uses the Wrath of Nature well. Any other issues needing addressed?" Ares shook his head. "Then let us forge War God!"

Days passed as the task was completed.

Pan smiled as he laid two large cloth wrapped objects on the counter of his storefront.

Ares stood across from him, dressed in a brown shirt and darker brown pants complete with wooden sandals. "It's all finally done?"

Pan nodded, "Yes. The armor is colored, the weapon detailed. Now," he gripped the edges of the cloths, "Behold!" He pulled on the cloth in a way it simply laid flat, revealing the creations.

Ares first looked at the weapon. It was one he was, intimately, familiar with.

It was an axe. The weapon had been cast in Light conductive metal, as all armaments of Guardians were. The metal was colored a dull black, like the night sky. It was flat on top with a single spike with six vents on the point. The edges shot down at a ninety degree angle and curved gently back towards the haft near the bottom. The faces of the axe also had these vents in the shape of the sigil of the Iron Lords, the Tree but left the cutting edges solid. On the shaft there was an almost invisible break, this is where the Wrath of Nature was inserted. Beneath that the hilt was black leather wrapped starting a foot down from the head of the axe. The weapon ended in a spike that bore the same vents as its top counterpart.

"As we agreed. The vents are able to be used all at once or individually. Simply channel the Aura as you wish." Ah, Aura. That was something that interested Ares greatly and required further study. It seemed the people here had something reminiscent of the Light he wielded. It was a more muted variant of what he had, but it was simply intriguing.

Ares shifted his gaze to the armor. His Dunemarchers he had repaired himself so all that was forged were a chest-plate and gauntlets. The chest-plate and gauntlets were of the same night black that his weapon in color. But the chest-plate held silver highlights curving along the sides and a lion's head sat snarling on the top of the chest. In between the gaps was chainmail, ready to stop any blade or claw.

The gauntlets were simple black plated metal, with leather and padding inside for comfort. They had two shoulder guards with the symbol of the Six Fronts on the right one which was a curved rectangle that went to the top of his ear in height. His left shoulder was covered by a half sphere with metal blended into it that curved to match the form of the upper arm.

Ares smiled, "These are perfect. Thank you, Pan Wirak."

Pan rolled his eyes, "Try it on already Battlewright. I need to ensure the fitting is proper."

Ares nodded and did so, equipping each piece efficiently and swiftly. As he tightened the last strap Pan came up with a measuring tape and had the Titan do a series of movements that tested the armor's capabilities. Once satisfied, Pan let him leave.

Ares sighed, ' _That took a while,'_ he remarked seeing the low sun. He looked to the wall, repairs were nearly finished. It seemed only a day or two more would be needed. He decided to stay until then. He would give this town surviving against the Grimm that much.

'You're gonna miss this place aren't you?' Harmonia asked, sensing her Guardian's emotions through his Light.

 _'I will. The people here...they are good people. Even if they are an archaic culture. The Grimm plague this planet from what I was told. The Darkness here consumes all.'_ He smiled wistfully, _'Do you remember the Vow?'_

 _'The one you took upon entering Titanship? Yes of course, it was the day you finally accepted me as your partner.'_ Harmonia bittersweetly remarked. She loved her Guardian, and he loved her, but they hadn't always been as close as they were.

Ares had hated her at first.

 _'And what did I swear?'_

 _'...that you would purge the Darkness in all it's forms, no matter where it was, or what you had to do to achieve that annihilation,'_ Harmonia's tone was proud, her Guardian, her partner, had vowed to return tenfold what the Darkness had taken from them.

Ares nodded as he watched the workers, _'That includes this place. I cannot stand by and allow this to continue.'_

 _'I wouldn't have it any other way,'_ his Ghost said, contentment evident in her tone.

Ares nodded, the barest traces of a smile on his lips.

Centuries passed on Remnant. Cultures rose, fell, and humanity gained ground.

As they did, they established the four Kingdoms.

Atlas in the north, a cold land with technological marvel and military might.

Vale to the south, a beacon of hope.

Mistral to the east, home to many legends and secrets

And Vacuo to the west, a lawless land filled with desert and a camaraderie that matched none.

Each held a school or more, academies, to train warriors to combat the Grimm. Atlas had Atlas, Vale had Beacon, Vacuo held Shade, and Mistral had Haven. There were also smaller, primary schools such as Signal on the island of Patch off the coast of Vale.

A teacher of that school by the name of Qrow Branwen, a man with slicked back black, spiky hair with red eyes took a small swig of his flask. He wore a gray and black waistcoat, black pants, and a tattered red cape. He sighed as he strolled into a town by the name of Tzu. "Five goddamn months," he grumbled to no one, "five months of nothing. Dammit Oz, whats so special about this guy anyways?" Qrow found a bar and read the sign, "'The Last Bar'? Huh. Weird name." Shrugging he walked in and held up two fingers as he sat.

He had been wandering Mistral in search of a man Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon, held interest in. Why he had interest? Qrow had no goddamn clue. Ozpin held the cards close to his chest on this one. Qrow reached inside his waistcoat and dug out a white rectangle with a gold diamond in the center. Willing it open, he looked at the notes he had written when Qrow had went back to Ozpin for this one.

 _'Legend type: War God,'_

he read. _'Legend came about in an old culture from a town called Milas. The War God, Ares Nike, had helped the town as it had been about to be overrun with Grimm. The War God fought back the Grimm with fire, fist and hammer. (And Gun based on descriptions.) Hair red as the blood the Grimm have spilled, an eye of glittering emerald and the other a shining amber, peering into past and future. Armor thick to protect. The War God had been seen throughout the following centuries aiding Villages, slaughtering the Grimm, fighting them with a rage and fury never before seen. Mistralian in origin. Legend age: 400 Years ago.'_

Qrow closed his scroll with a sigh. He had looked, and looked, and looked, all over Mistral for the last five months looking for this War God with nothing to show. He had heard smatterings of a wandering mercenary that hunted the Grimm occasionally, but that was common.

"Trouble friend?" The bartender asked. He was very tall with equally pale skin, it looked almost blue. His amber eye glinted with mirth. His right eye was covered with a black eyepatch stylized with a circle surrounded by a laurel in silver. Inside the circle were what appeared to be a hexagon split into four sections, six lines arranged into tree layered arrows, and two tree intersecting triangles forming a spiked top and flat bottomed shape. He wore a bandana over his hair, keeping it back and hidden. The man placed two shots.

"You could say that," Qrow grumbled.

"Well I am all ears."

"I'm trying to find a...friend of mine and I have had zilch to show for it."

The bartender nodded as he cleaned a glass, "I see. How long have you been searching?"

"Five freakin' months," Qrow grumbled, tossing the shot back. "Five months of nothing."

"Is your friend a Huntsman?"

"You could say that."

"What is his name and description?" The mountainous bartender asked with a kind smile, "I can be on the lookout for you."

Qrow shrugged internally, better to have another contact. The dusty old bird looked at the glass as he swirled the drink inside. "Ares Nike is his name," the bartender's smile seemed to tighten almost imperceptibly. "Guy has a big-ass axe and heavy armor. Red hair, heterochromic eyes." Qrow looked at the man. "Speakin' of which, how'd ya lose it if I may ask?"

The man chuckled, hooked his thumbed under the edge and lifted the eyepatch. His closed eye had several scars going from underneath his eye to his ear diagonally. "Ursa Claw." The man said simply, then dropped the eyepatch back into place.

"I'm sorry," Qrow remarked. "Past Huntsman?"

The man held a mischievous smirk, "You could say that."

Qrow tossed back the other shot. "Ya know, I never introduced myself. Bran Qrowwen. Huntsman," he stuck his hand out, using the same name he always gave. Somehow it never failed to keep his identity hidden.

"Mars Victoria," the Newly named Mars stated, and took the hand shaking it firmly.

Qrow left the establishment later, being very, very inebriated. He stumbled as he walked, and decided to cut through an alley to get the motel Mars had told him about.

A blue light came from the shadows. Qrow peered closer. "Wazzat?" He asked himself.

A flash filled his vision, and he knew no more.


	4. Chapter 4

**_So sorry for the delay holiday and work has kept me busy. In regards to Lost Stars I'm waiting on my copy of Borderlands to arrive so I can continue plot wise. I have plans. But I feel like my story has gone kinda away from the Borderlands feel, that wacky fun ya know? Speakin of which I am going to go back and update the hapters of both after this goes up. They have had quite a bit of work done. Also HOLY FUCK. This story has half the chapters and has 32 Favorites and 52 Follows Lost Stars has 72 and 85 respectively. Thank you all so much_**

* * *

 _Titans LS(IL), LS, Z Ar are gathered around a table._

 _LS(IL): Zavala. Let us train him._

 _Z: No._

 _LS: But why not Zavala? He would flourish under Lord Saladin's tutelage._

 _Z: Ares is learning perfectly fine under me. He needs to remain in the City._

 _LS(IL): Zavala. Don't be foolish. We both know he has nothing more to learn from you. Allow me to take the boy to train. If he doesn't like it. He can leave._

 _*the Titan trio begin to argue with LS and LS(IL) against Z*_

 _Ar: *stays silent patiently then clears throat after minutes of arguing* It is rude to talk about me as if I am not here Lord Salaldin, Lord Shaxx, Zavala. I believe I can decide for myself._

 _*all three look to him*_

 _LS: *clears throat* And what is your input then Young Titan?_

 _Ar: *Looks between Z and LS(IL)*..._

* * *

He didn't know where he was.

He was bound.

He was weaponless.

He kept his eyes shut, as that was how he was when he rose to the world of consciousness.

"You can stop acting, I know you are not out anymore," a genderless voice came from in front of him. A speaker maybe?

A splash of water soaked him, plastering his hair to his face. He idly blew up, blowing it off his eye.

Red baleful eyes looked to the source of the voice. It was dark. A lone light shone on him. Typical tactics, he grumbled. "Who are you?" He pondered, hoping his Semblance would help him here.

"I should ask you that 'Bran Qrowwen.' Or Qrow Branwen rather as I hear you are called." The voice intoned.

Qrow wanted to laugh, "R-Really, the fucking bartender? Tai always said my drinkin' would come back to bite me."

"Why are you looking for Ares," the voice asked, tone flat.

"Well 'Mars', that is my business."

"As it is mine. Answer or things will get unpleasant if-oh?" The voice seemed to pause as if cut-off. "Answer or these...nieces? Daughters? Will pay in your place." There was a skidding from the dark, and an object his his foot.

It was his scroll displaying a red-haired teen with a black and red blouse and skirt with a cape and a blonde with an outfit revealing much of her generous figure, each having an arm of Qrow wrapped around their shoulders as they smiled at the camera.

"Ruby and Yang was it?"

Qrow scowled, the bartender must have looked at his phone while he was out. "Whaddya want asshat?"

"I have already told you Branwen. Though with your bunch it seems I must repeat myself," This guy had faced Rae's tribe and survived, that boded wonderfully. "Why are you looking for Ares Nike?"

He scoffed, then sighed. He couldn't risk Yang or Ruby for this. "To meet. Talk. I have a proposition for him."

Suddenly there was a shimmer in the darkness. It revealed a massive, heavily armored figure with its arms crossed and two different colored eyes glaring him down. "Then speak Qrow Branwen. And pray I do not find you lacking unlike the last group."

"Last group?" Qrow asked. This genuinely confused him. Was Salem looking for him, trying to win him over? He shook his head. "I work for Ozpin. He wants to meet you."

"The Headmaster of Beacon." He mumbled. His eyes raised to Qrow again. "Why?"

"Hell if I know, he just wants to meet."

"I take it this meeting is to take place at Beacon Academy?"

"Yup."

Ares went silent, communing with Harmonia. _'What do you think?'_

 _'Considering the last two? You should be wary at least. No one here knows about Guardians or the Traveler from what we have seen. Even ancient ruins don't talk of it. Just the Brothers. So we have every one of those tricks as hidden aces. We have nothing to lose_ ,' his partner finished.

Ares nodded to his partner. He walked forward and Qrow tensed. He raised an eyebrow when he felt the bindings around his wrists fell away. He looked to the man with a raised eyebrow. "Tell Ozpin I shall arrive a week from today. I will hear him. No more. No less. No weapons of his shall be present. It shall be me and him alone. These are my terms. If he does not find them agreeable I shall find out and the meeting will not go through. Am I clear Qrow Branwen?"

The man nodded rubbing his wrists. "I'll just go then," he half-stated half-asked. Ares nodded. A door opened off to the side.

"You shall find your weapon and other items outside. Do not attempt to attack."

Qrow nodded and went towards the door.

Ares watched him the entire way.

The elevator dinged as it arrived at the top floor of Beacon's tower.

Qrow walked out as the door opened. "Qrow? You're back," said the gray-haired, brown eyed man at the window. He wore an unzipped black suit coat over a buttoned green vest and shirt. Around his neck was a green scarf with a small purple cross. Finishing outfit was dark green pants and black dress shoes. He sipped from a white mug bearing an emblem of two crossed axes. In his other hand he rested the palm on the top of a cane.

"Oz. We gotta talk," the Branwen stated.

"Sit then and let us talk." Ozpin turned and sat at his desk as the gears above turned and clicked.

Qrow sat and began his report.

"I...see," Ozpin began. "So he is at least willing to meet. That is good. These conditions...they are acceptable."

Qrow raised an eyebrow, back slouched. "Oz you sure about this? He is gonna have you alone and weaponless. Meanwhile he made no such deal on his end. We don't know shit about his abilities either."

Ozpin steepled his fingers, a look of deep thought on his face. "This man is a wild card. We do not know where his loyalties lie. That is something worth the risk to figure out. Should the worst come to pass, my 'condition' will allow me to continue."

"So you're going through with it?"

Ozpin nodded.

Qrow sighed and took a swig of his flask.

* * *

 _Ares gave a small smile at the antics of the Hunter Vanguard. The door to the Vanguard room opened and the occupants went silent. Ares looked to the doorway._

 _The smile on his lips faded as his eyes widened, "No..." he whispered nearly inaudibly._

 _With head was bowed low, fists clenched at his side shaking, there stood the Nighthawk, clutching Ember's tattered cloak._

 _Zavala looked down, gritting his teeth._

 _Cayde clenched a fist at his side._

 _Ikora covered her mouth, brown eyes wide in shock and sadness, "By the Traveler..."_

 _Ares pushed past Zavala and made his way to Cain. He looked down at the cloak, and back to his brother in arms. "Ho...w...wha..."_

 _Cain's blue eyes peered out from under his hood unable to meet Ares' own, his helm removed. They held sorrow. "Ares...I'm so sorry...the Hive...the ritual...I-I couldn't save her..." he choked out._

 _Ares fell to his knees, the mountain of a man clutching Cain's shoulder for support, a look of pure shock and desolation on his face. His hand reached out shaking and Cain pressed the cloth into the palm. Fingers closed around it and brought it to his chest._

 _Ares seemed to retreat into himself, clutching the ruined, bloodstained cloak like a lifeline._

 _Then, he let out a wail of agony that the entire Tower heard._

 _He was quiet as they set the shroud alight._

 _He hadn't said anything since he had found out._

 _Ares had rarely been seen._

 _No one questioned it._

 _It was when Cain-1 went to visit after the memorial he finally spoke._

 _"Ares...I-"_

 _"You don't get to be."_

 _Cain looked puzzled, "C-Come again?"_

 _Ares snapped at him, "You don't get to be sorry! You lived!" The Titan whirled on the Hunter, towering over the man, face set in a fierce snarl, "You promised to protect her! You! Swore! This is your fault Nighthawk! Her blood is on your hands," he finished in a whisper. Without waiting for a response the Awoken man stormed off, Arc Light sparking off his form._

 _Lord Saladin sighed as he looked about the destroyed grounds. His apprentice had thrown himself into training ever since the death of his bonded. He looked to his Ghost. "The Lookout," was all it said. He nodded in thanks and went to speak to his student._

 _"Lord Saladin, while I respect you, leave me." Ares said, not even opening his eyes as he meditated._

 _Saladin smiled softly, he had come far in his sensing. "I have to say no this time Young Wolf. We need to speak."_

 _"There is nothing to speak of."_

 _"On the contrary."_

 _"Allow me to rephrase, I will have nothing to say to you."_

 _"Then listen Young Wolf," he sighed, "Ares. Listen to a man who has been where you are. Hurt as you have been. It is dark now. This I know. The fire of vengeance and hate stokes the fire in your breast. You think it will make you strong." Saladin approached his student, laying a hand on his shoulder. "That fire will warm you in the winter, but leave you a cold, burnt out husk when the spring comes. Remember that."_

 _Ares said nothing._

 _Saladin Forge left his student to think on his words._

Ares' eyes opened slowly. He breathed out steadily and ended his meditation. He stood.

The War God regretted how he had treated his friend, he freely would admit that, but why had those memories come through now? Speaking of Cain, he wondered how the old bird was. He had no doubts he escaped Oryx, but he was worried for his friend nonetheless.

A week since his run in with Qrow came and went. He was currently on Beacon's grounds unknown. Night had fallen and simply snuck in. Their security system was very easy to evade.

Then again he had a very amazing sentient machine made of Light that could scan for any cameras or other security measures.

 _'Thank you for the compliment,'_ his partner preened over their mental link.

Nodding Ares looked up from his position at the base of Beacon's Tower. _'You're up,'_ the trespasser stated as he waved a hand out, Harmonia materializing and flying up silently.

Ozpin sat at his desk sipping his favorite mug of coffee. Truly a budget well spent, regardless of what Glynda stated otherwise. He looked at the the time.

It was late and a week had passed.

He couldn't understand what was wrong. He had done everything asked of him. His cane was stowed away outside the room and several floors down, he was alone, Glynda was working in her office late as normal. So the question begged, what had happened?

Ozpin stood and decided a walk to clear his head was in order. He smiled, perhaps his guest was wandering lost on the grounds.

With that amusing thought in his head, the Headmaster of Beacon walked out.

Never once did he think to turn around and see the white, orange-striped Ghost hovering scant feet outside his window.

Huh. Well what an opportunity, Harmonia thought.

 _'How are things,'_ Ares asked.

 _'Perfect. He just left. No weapons in sight. Only life I detected was many floors down. He also has a...penis chair.'_

 _'Penis chair,'_ he stated dryly.

 _'Penis chair,'_ his partner confirmed.

 _'Why does he have a- Why did you tell me?'_

 _'Thought it would be amusing. It was.'_

A mental sigh came over their link. _'Just find a way in and transmat me before he gets back please.'_

Harmonia gave the Ghost equivalent of a satisfied smile and did as asked. She found a vent that worked. Using her skills to transmat the screws into one of Ares' pouches and the grate on the ground, she flew in. She found the one to the office of Ozpin easily enough and set the cameras to a loop of the prior five seconds with a wireless signal. She shined her Light through the grate and Ares felt the familiar tug of the transmat field as he appeared in the office. Taking a seat in the one across from the desk, he activated his cloaking tech as Harmonia melded into his Light.

Ozpin returned some time later.

He looked out the floor to ceiling windows that made up one wall of his office and clasped his hands behind his back.

It seemed Ares would not be arriving tonight.

Suddenly he felt a presence he had not felt in a very long time.

Whipping around eyes wide, he saw a massive armored frame in the chair he had set up for his guest. He had no helmet allowing his pale, blue-tinged skin to show and his mismatched eyes to bore into his own.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "Ares Nike I take?" At his nod the Headmaster relaxed his features slightly, "then please forgive my reaction. I had thought you were...someone else. I'd offer you a seat but it seems you helped yourself. Would you like anything to drink?"

"No," his deep voice rumbled like a rockslide powerful and unyielding.

Ozpin nodded and sat. "So I see you ran into my associate Qrow."

"Yes."

"Was the secrecy necessary?"

"Yes."

"I assume you wish to know why I wanted to meet?"

"Yes."

Ozpin internally sighed, "Do you plan to say anything else?"

"I do."

Ozpin allowed a small smile to appear, "Good. Well then. As you are aware I am Ozpin and I know who you are. You have been in many legends. You look very youthful for a quadruple century old being," Ares gaze withered any more attempt at slicing the tension in the room. Ozpin coughed lightly, "Yes, moving on. I called you here due to one simple fact. You are an unknown Ares Nike."

"I assume you wish to know me?"

"I wish to know where your loyalties and motives lie at least."

Ares was silent for a moment, then he spoke. "My loyalty is to those close to me and my motives lie in destroying the Grimm that plague Remnant."

Ozpin blinked, that was rather straightforward and easier than expected. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth he continued, "Then our goals run parallel. I too wish to end the Grimm threat."

"I assumed that due to the fact you run a school that teaches children to fight monsters using elements, soul powers and the sharpest sticks you could find," the mountain of a man remarked.

Ozpin shrugged, "I suppose that would be obvious yes. Let us not beat around the bush Mr. Nike, I want your help."

"Why?"

"That answer should be obvious enough. Have you not heard the stories about yourself? The legends dating back centuries? You are a force to be reckoned with. You slaughter Grimm like ants before a hurricane. You-" a raised palm stopped him.

"Do you think me a fool?"

Ozpin raised an eyebrow, "I beg your pardon?"

"Do you. Think me. A fool Ozpin? Despite my young appearance, I know what game you intend to play. You said it earlier. I am an unknown to you. And we both know there are two sides of a war. You would rather I be known and dealt with now than later when the chance had passed you by. Let us not attempt to pull wool over the others eyes. Its unbecoming of men like us."

Ozpin's eyes hardened and nodded as he began to ready his skills for battle should the need arise. "So be it. Yes. I wanted to see how you act, if you were violent or ill-intended, if you were to go against me and mine and be in the way of future plans. Forgive me, but a new piece no one knows the rules of suddenly appearing on a chess board is something I try to avoid."

"I do not blame you for it. As I stated, I just want to be up front with one another," Ares seemed to become amused as if he had realized something, "For example, you could explain the large power deep beneath Beacon firstly."

Ozpin's breath hitched. He knew about that? His mind was racing when he realized crucial detail.

The axe that had been on Ares' back was now leant against the man's chair.

It seems he was left with no choice then.

"Tell me Mr. Nike...What is your favorite fairy tale?"

* * *

"I...see. Thank you for sharing Ozpin. May I have a few minutes alone to think on this information before I give my decision?"

The tall Headmaster nodded and stood. He looked to the window where dawn began to break the pitch sky, "I shall go and fetch some more coffee." With that the man walked out.

 _'Well that was enlightening,'_ Ares remarked.

 _'Indeed,'_ Harmonia replied, unusually serious, ' _and intriguing.'_

 _'You realize the same thing I did about the Brothers?'_

 _'Yes.'_

 _'Good. So partner what do you recommend we do here?'_

 _'I have no doubt if Ozpin thought we were against him, he would try to make our lives as difficult as possible, but joining with him puts us on the radar of Salem and her forces.'_

 _'Forces, which based on what he said, the tailed insane man and the large quiet man were apart of.'_

 _'Why didn't we kill them again?'_

 _'The insane one threw sand in my eyes and shot an explosive Dust-filled barrel swallowing the warehouse we lured them into in flames and I did not want to reveal our ability to resurrect?'_

 _'Ah yes. That,' Harmonia chuckled, 'Your hair caught fire. Quite funny. I digress, I think we should ally with him. For the time at least. It would be nice to not have to move from place to place for a bit.'_

 _'We do that all the time back home.'_

 _'Yes but we had a true 'home' then.'_

 _'...I suppose you are right,'_ Ares stated. Nothing more was said as they waited for their host.

They did not have to wait long. Ozpin returned with two steaming mugs of coffee.

At Ares' raised eyebrow the man spoke with a small genuine smile, "I figured you would like to try Beacon's best coffee as well."

Ares nodded as he accepted the cup, subtly channeling Light into it to check it for anything harmful. Finding none he took a sip and his eyes widened.

It was heavenly.

Ozpin chuckled then took a sip of his own, "Yes that is the typical reaction." He set his mug down to the side and laced his fingers and peered at his guest from over them, "So have you come to a decision?"

Ares nodded and rested his mug in his lap, hands wrapped around it, making it seem tiny. "I will ally with you," he held up a finger when Ozpin went to speak, "I have one condition. I will do what I feel is necessary. That is what will happen. The condition is you not impede me or question my methods," Ozpin nodded.

"In turn I have a condition of my own on this partnership," Ares nodded for him to continue. It was only fair after all. Whats the worst that could happen?

"I want you to teach here."

...Son of a bitch.


End file.
